Diaphragm carrying systems



Dec. 3, 1968 H. M. J. G. LUMPP 3,414,235

DIAPHRAGM CARRY ING SYSTEMS Filed Dec. 27, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fl 6.1 r r r I q ,J,e,F....

n; f9 U ATTORNEYS Dec. 3, 1968 H M. .1. 3. LUMPP 3,414,235

DIAPHRAGM CARRY ING SYSTEMS Filed Dec. 27, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Dec. 3, 1968 H. M. J. ca. LUMPP 3,414,235

DIAPHRAGM CARRYING SYSTEMS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 27, 1965 INVENTOR fli/wr/lme/adosififi 650265.: 1 am BY Y ATTORN EYYS Dec. 3, 1968 H. M. J. G. LUMPP 3,414,235

DIAPHRAGM CARRYING SYSTEMS Filed Dec. 27, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FiG.12

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,414,235 DIAPHRAGM CARRYING SYSTEMS Henry Marie Joseph Georges Lumpp, 7 Rue Grolee, Lyon, France Filed Dec. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 516,245 Claims priority, application France, Dec. 30, 1964, 45,452; Dec. 23, 1965, 46,740 3 Claims. (Cl. 251-331) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A diaphragm valve or a pump has a diaphragm that is supported by an assembly of concentric rings that slide on each other and that bear alternately, at their edges opposite the membrane, against fixed fingers and movable fingers, with the point of the transfer of the support from the fixed fingers to the movable fingers, and vice versa, moving progressively upon movement of the membrane actuator.

In gates and in reciprocating pumps, diaphragms are used as fluidtight connecting means between two parts moving with reference to each other. In order to follow the movements of such parts with reference to each other, the diaphragms should be yielding and, furthermore, they should mechanically resist the differences in pressure between their opposite surfaces.

It is possible to associate yieldingness and mechanical resistance by eliminating the mechanical stresses which have :a tendency to make the diaphragm burst or to strain it through local or extensive stretching. Partial or complete supporting systems have been already proposed for such diaphragms, such as coaxial rings limiting the stresses liable to deform the diaphragm and protecting it if required against bulges, but such arrangements do not prevent the stretching stresses which lead to strains which detrimentally reduce the life of the diaphragm. In particular, such prior systems cannot be considered as useful in the case of diaphragms of a more or less incurved shape.

My invention covers means for supporting and possibly controlling yielding diaphragms made of rubber or of an elastomer for instance, whether reinforced or otherwise, obtained through molding in any desired shape and having generally but not necessarily a circular periphery, said diaphragms being controlled mechanically by a member adapted to move with reference to the stationary means clamping the edge of the diaphragm. Such diaphragms serve generally both as fluid tight members operating against outer pressure and as closing members in the case of valves, or else as pistons in reciprocating pumps.

My invention covers a system for supporting completely such a diaphragm and which includes a series of coaxial rings or the like parts slidingly fitted with reference to each other and its main object consists in that said rings engage in alternation through their surface opposed to that which is in contact with the diaphragm sloping positioning members which are respectively stationary and movable, the successive engagement of the different rings with the stationary and movable sloping members being obtained respectively during the opposed movements of the control member. Said sloping positioning members are given a shape such as prov-ides the neutral plane'of the diaphragm, which generally includes a canvas body, with a developed length which is constant, whatever may be the position of the movable control member with reference to the stationary means clamping the diaphragm, whereby the surface-stretching stresses are reduced to a practically negligible value. It should be remarked that the neutral plane does not lie necessarily in the medial plane within the thickness of the diaphragm.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment and in the case of an apparatus incorporating a concave diaphragm such as a part spherical or the like cap, the suitable shape referred to is that defined by arcs of circles coaxial with the neutral plane of the diaphragm, said arcs of circles being concentric for the stationary positioning members with said neutral plane for the open position of the gate or for the uppper position of the piston, while said shape is defined for the movable positioning members by arcs of circles concentric with said same neutral plane for the opposite positions, that is the closed gate position or the lower position of the piston. The arrangement according to my invention may serve as a mere support for a diaphragm in the case where the difference between the pressures urges the diaphragm against the rings or else if the resistance provided by the shape of the diaphragm and by the material forming it leads to a similar result.

My invention may furthermore be associated with a system of connections or with control means between the diaphragm and said rings in the case where the difference between the pressures shifts the diaphragm away from said rings or the resistance due to the shape of the diaphragm and the material forming the latter leads to a similar result.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings an embodiment of my invention given by way of example as applied to a gate. In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of :a portion of a ring.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a system of rings as seen from above.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section through line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an elevational sectional view of the means ensuring fluidtightness by clamping the peripheral edge of the diaphragm.

FIG. 5 is a sectional horizontal view through line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 illustrates a movable member controlling the diaphragm.

FIG. 7 is a plan View thereof.

FIG. 8 illustrates the whole arrangement supporting the diaphragm in a complete manner, as shown crosssectionally through line 88 of FIG. 9, the gate being in its completely open position.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are similar sectional views through line 9-9 of FIG. 8, the gate being respectively in a half open and in a completely closed position.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view on a larger scale of an embodiment of the connection between the diaphragm and the rings.

FIG. 12 illustrates in half sectional axial view the whole arrangement supporting completely the diaphragm, the arrangement being shown in its closed position.

In said drawings, a designates the diaphragm, b, b the stationary parts, and c the movable member controlling the diaphragm while d, e, f, g designate the coaxial rings the height of which is sufiicient for them to resist the fluid pressures to be considered between successive bearing surfaces.

The ring illustrated in FIG. 1 is provided on the side engaging the diaphragm with a rounded outline p. On the opposite side, its outline 0 ensures its optimum engagement with the shaped sloping members. The thickness of said ring is such that it cannot jeopardize the fluidtightness required for the diaphragm when urged against its seat in the case of a gate. The annular coaxial striations formed by the rounded outlines p of the ring further said fiuidtightness and are by no means objectionable for the latter since they produce an extrustion of the material forming the diaphragm.

The above-mentioned rings are interconnected by means of tenons r and mortises s (FIGS. 1 to 3). Said tenons and mortises or tenons and loop holes are located on the side facing away from the diaphragm and allow a limited axial movement of the rings with reference to one another.

Except for clearance, said assembly of rings does not allow any rotation of the rings with reference to one another, or with reference to the axis of symmetry of the whole ring assembly.

The assembly of rings is adapted to move along its axis of symmetry between the ribs n and the arms to be described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. and 6. Said arms and ribs, associated with the outer surfaces of the mortises s, return the movable ring arrangement to position whenever the axis of symmetry moves out of registry with a vertical line corresponding to the action of gravity, taking into account the clearances existing between the parts.

The ribs n (FIGS. 4 and 5) are rigid with the stationary member b' which is constituted merely by a cap in the case of a gate or by the casing in the case of a pump and said ribs terminate at their ends facing the rings with a slope n of a suitably incurved outline.

The movable control member 0 (FIGS. 6 and 7) which is rigidly secured to the diaphragm as provided by suitable means such as a screw the end of which is embedded within the thickness of the diaphragm carries arms 0 adapted to move in registry with the intervals between the stationary ribs It, said arms being provided at their ends facing the rings with a slope 0 of a suitable incurved outline the curvature of which opposes that of the slopes 12.

Assuming the ring arrangement operates as a support for the diaphragm, when the movable member c is at the end of its stroke away from the seat or bottom b (FIG. 8) forming part of the stationary diaphragm-clamping means, the extension of the incurved outline of the sloping surfaces 0' on the arms 0 rigid with the control member c and the cooperating extension of the incurved outline of the sloping surfaces n of the ribs n are tangent with reference to each other on the axis of symmetry of the arrangement, While all the rings engage said sloping surfaces n of the ribs 11 which are thus subjected to the total pressure exerted on the diaphragm a and which is transmitted to said ribs through said rings a, e, f, g

In contradistinction, if the control member c is shifted towards the seat or bottom b, the rings are urged in succession by the arms 0 rigid with the member 0 so as to disengage in succession the sloping outline n' of the ribs 11. Their axial shifting with reference to one another is produced by a relative movement between the movable outline 0' and the stationary outline n which outlines cross each other with a variable angle between them when their crossing point progresses along a line leading from the movable member 0 to the stationary diaphragm-securing member b.

The diaphragm thus deformed by the thrust exerted by the rings progresses along the outline of a wave from the center towards the outer edge of the diaphragm where said wave disappears when the outermost ring is engaged in its turn by the sloping outline 0 of the arms 0 and the diaphragm a engages its seat or bottom b, as shown in FIG. 10.

The return of the diaphragm towards its starting position is ensured by the sequence of operations which is the reverse of the sequence of operations which has just been described.

If the action of the difference between the pressures exerted on both sides of the diaphragm moves the diaphragm away from the rings or if the resistance due to the shape of the diaphragm and to the material forming the latter leads to the same result, it is necessary to make the rings engage the diaphragm, the action of the difference between the pressures being in fact generally reduced in such a case.

In order to achieve such a result, it is possible for instance to secure to the diaphragm a or within its thickness (FIG. 11) anchoring members t made of metal or plastic material and to which are pivotally secured projecting parts u of a suitable shape and elasticity so that they may enter recesses v provided in the rings and be secured under pressure therein. The assembly thus executed may be disconnected by exerting a tractional stress in a direction opposed to the resultant pressure and which should be larger than the stress which may be transmitted by the diaphragm under the action of a difference between the pressures to which its opposite sides are subjected.

Thus, the diaphragm is connected with the rings through as many suspension points as may be required and it may resist under excellent conditions the action of the drop in pressure if the resistance due to its shape and to the material forming it does not allow alone such a result. It should be remarked that, assuming the ring arrangement controls the diaphragm when the movable control member is at an end of its operative stroke away from the seat or bottom b, the diaphragm exerts a traction on the rings which move then away from the bearings provided by the sloping surfaces n of the ribs n, while remaining however in the same relative position with reference to one another by reason, on the one hand, of the presence of the tenons r and of the mortises s and, on the other hand, of the connection between the control member 6 and the innermost ring of the smallest diameter. By shifting the control member c towards the seat or bottom b, the rings which are all suspended to the control member 0 through the agency of one another move towards said seat or bottom b on which the diaphragm a is laid, which diaphragm then eliminates the traction exerted by it on the outermost ring and in succession on the following rings.

In such a case, the wave deforming the diaphragm progresses from the outer edge towards the center of the diaphragm and disappears when the ring nearest the center and nearest the control member c has brought the diaphragm into complete engagement with the seat or bottom b.

The return stroke towards the starting position reproduces in a reverse sequence the operations which have just been described.

It should be mentioned that the supporting and controlling means described may be associated whatever may be the position of the axis of symmetry of the movable ring arrangement. The fact should furthermore be taken into account that, when the diaphragm a engages, at the end of the inward stroke of the movable control member c, the seat b in the stationary diaphragm-clamping member, pressure is applied in most cases only over one half of said diaphragm and consequently the movable member c is subjected to a tilting torque. On the other hand, said movbale control member 0 is carried by a rotula so as to allow its alignment with reference to the seat b to ensure fluidtightness with a minimum of stress.

The existence of the tilting torque referred to produces a rocking of the movable member c which leads to a detrimental action on the fluidtight engagement between the diaphragm and the seat, to a stretching of the diaphragm and to a further straining in order to ensure fiuidtightness.

To prevent such a tilting, the outermost ring d carries an outwardly projecting stop k engaging the stationary member b under the action of the diaphragm a, whereby said tilting torque is compensated.

The direction of flow of the fluid inside a gate may be optionally from the right-hand side or from the lefthand side and the pressure may be positive or negative and consequently it is of advantage to provide on the outermost ring d two stops k-k' which are diametrically opposed so as to act in all cases against the above-mentioned tilting effect.

According to another embodiment (FIG. 12) an arrangement opposing the tilting torque limits also the fouling of the diaphragm between the seat or bottom and the compressing means as provided by a supplementary ring w on the outside of the actual ring arrangement, said ring w being located independently of the latter and having a flange w which is clamped between the diaphragm a and the cap or casing b, as the case may be.

At the end of the stroke executed by the means compressing the diaphragm, which means include the rings and the movable control member 0, the diaphragm is urged by the rings a, e, f, g, against the seat b, while the arms 0 rigid with the member c engage the upper surface of the ring h. A bearing surface m may be provided at the outer ends of the sloping surfaces 0' of the arms 0 in order to suitably ensure said engagement (FIG. 12). Such an engagement opposes the rocking of the compressing means under the action of the tilting torque, whatever may be the direction of the latter. By reason of the yielding bearing provided by the ring w resting on the diaphragm, it is possible to adjust the compression urging the diaphragm onto its seat so as to perfect the fluidtightness obtained against pressure if rquired.

Said compression acts then no longer only on the surface of the seat, but also on the surface of contact between the ring w and the diaphragm a whereby the crushing stresses produced by the controlling forces exerted are limited to a predetermined value.

One of the features of the arrangement described resides in the fact that the shifting of the ring w is proportional to the elasticity of the diaphragm and the same is the case of the length of the stroke of the compressing means.

According to a modification, the outermost ring may be provided throughout its surface of contact with the diaphragm with undulations or striations which modify the gradual action of the elasticity of the diaphragm or else such superficial unevennesses may be provided on the diaphragm itself.

Obviously, as is fully apparent from the preceding disclosure, my invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described hereinabove but covers in contradistinction all the modifications and applications thereof falling within the scope of the accompanying claims, in the field of gates, pumps or the like machinery.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a diaphragm the periphery of which is clamped inside the inner periphery of stationary clamping means, the provision of a plurality of similar radial members rigid with the clamping means and distributed along said inner periphery of the clamping means to one side of the diaphragm, the edges of said radial members facing the diaphragm having an arcuate outline the concavity of which faces the diaphragm, an axially shiftable control member carrying the diaphragm on said one side thereof, a plurality of further radial members rigid with said control member extending outwardly of the latter between the first-mentioned radial members, the edges of which further radial members facing the diaphragm have an arcuate outline the concavity of which faces away from the diaphragm, the elementary surfaces of revolution formed by the edges of both pluralities of radial members crossing each other along a line defined by the axial shifting of the control member and further radial members rigid therewith, a plurality of coaxial annular members adapted to slide with reference to each other in an axial direction and extending in an axial direction between said one side of the diaphragm and the portions of the edges of both pluralities of radial members lying on the side of the said crossing line nea1= est the diaphragm, and tenon and mortise connections between successive annular members to allow the relative sliding of the latter.

2. In combination with a diaphragm the periphery of which is clamped inside the inner periphery of stationary clamping means, the provision of a plurality of similar radial members rigid with the clamping means and distributed along said inner periphery of the clamping means to one side of the diaphragm, the edges of said radial members facing the diaphragm having an arcuate outline the concavity of which faces the diaphragm, an axially shiftable control member carrying the diaphragm on said one side thereof, a plurality of further radial members rigid with said control member extending outwardly of the latter between the first-mentioned radial members, the edges of which further radial members facing the diaphragm have an arcuate outline the concavity of which faces away from the diaphragm, the elementary surfaces of revolution formed by the edges of both pluralities of radial members crossing each other along a line defined by the axial shifting of the control member and further radial members rigid therewith, a plurality of coaxial annular members adapted to slide with reference to each other in an axial direction and extending in an axial direction between said one side of the diaphragm and the portions of the edges of both pluralities of radial members lying on the side of the said crossing line nearest the diaphragm, and at least one stop rigid with the outermost annular member and abutting the stationary clamping means upon tilting of the diaphragm.

3. In combination with a diaphragm the periphery of which is clamped inside the inner periphery of stationary clamping means, the provision of a plurality of similar radial members rigid with the clamping means and distributed along said inner periphery of the clamping means to one side of the diaphragm, the edges of said radial members facing the diaphragm having an arcuate outline the concavity of which faces the diaphragm, an axially shiftable control member carrying the diaphragm on said one side thereof, a plurality of further radial members rigid with said control member extending outwardly of the latter between the first-mentioned radial members, the edges of which further radial members facing the diaphragm have an arcuate outline the concavity of which faces away from the diaphragm, the elementary surfaces of revolution formed by the edges of both pluralities of radial members crossing each other along a line defined by the axial shifting of the control member and further radial members rigid therewith, a plurality of coaxial annular members adapted to slide with reference to each other in an axial direction and extending in an axial direction between said one side of the diaphragm and the portions of the edges of both pluralities of radial members lying on the side of the said crossing line nearest the diaphragm, and an outer flange rigid with the outermost annular member and held fast between the diaphragm, the clamping means and the outer periphery of the further radial members forming a gradual elastic stop for the latter during the shifting of the control member towards the diaphragm and thereby opposing any possible tilting torque.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,309,479 1/ 1943 Saunders 251-331 X 2,388,988 11/1945 Mueser 251-331 X 2,689,586 9/ 1954 Anderson 9299 X 2,716,017 8/1955 Linker 251-331 ARNOLD ROSENTHAL, Primary Examiner. 

